PETALUMA, CA – If all you read is headlines, the world can look like a pretty hopeless place. That’s what makes Jeannie Kerrigan’s autobiography and the creation of Ricky’s Revolution truly remarkable – it’s not about the problem, it’s a very practical plan of action to reach a solution. With October designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Ricky’s Revolution is a timely reminder that help is available.
Layla is a deeply moving, often shocking, true story of redemption. Incest, physical abuse, rape, stripping, prostitution, the drug world and insanity – these are the hard topics tackled in the story. The death of a son, a brother’s suicide, the death of a first love, and the loss of a father all frame a journey that does not separate light from dark.
Light begins to grow when Jeannie is adopted and mentored by Basil Braveheart, a Lakota elder. Purpose and hope dawn. When her twenty-year-old son is killed, Jeannie is taken to the deepest grief and ultimately the highest spiritual connection. She travels to the mountains of Peru, studies esoteric healing in the deserts of Mexico and turns to the indigenous culture of North and South America for answers. She discovers the universe is good — that life is sacred energy in motion, an understanding of what the Lakota call Taku Wakahn Skan Skan.
Out of Layla came Ricky’s Revolution Non-profit, a 501(c)3 national outreach program to help runaway and homeless youth, victims of domestic violence, and victims of sexual abuse reach a place of safety as quickly as possible. “Ricky” is a small stuffed monkey embroidered with hotline contact numbers and given out free to shelters and to anyone alone on the streets. By providing information about national hotlines and the safety and shelter options, including rape crisis, runaway hotline, safe houses, and domestic violence hotline, Ricky’s Revolution encourages, educates, and empowers those who need direction and movement towards healing.
Founder and Executive Director Jeannie Kerrigan has had a successful private practice in Santa Fe, NM and California for the past 14 years. Her training and education in both classroom and the streets, with trauma victims and as a counselor, have made her one of the most effective public speakers on the planet. She is a healer and educator in the areas of personal transformation and spiritual journeys.
Katherine Patton is co-founder and Director with more than 20 years’ experience as a counselor and educator. She believes in the value of human connection as an integral and vital part of the healing process. She has worked extensively with emotionally disturbed children and adolescents, abused/neglected adjudicated youth on probation and parole, and their families.
As Street Team Leaders, Jeannie and Katherine go onto the streets personally handing out thousands of Rickys and interacting with individuals involved in acute situations of violence and homelessness. Additionally, Ricky’s Revolution has volunteer-based Shelter Teams within multiple communities who deliver Rickys to shelters locally. This unique distribution process also allows volunteer community members to become a part of the process in helping bring these issues to the forefront.
